Rick Perry was the longtime governor of Texas. It was the third statewide office he'd held there. Perry began his career in elected politics as a member of the Democratic Party before switching his affiliation to Republican.
After his time as governor, Perry was appointed by then-President Donald Trump as the United States secretary of energy. The appointment seemed ironic to many onlookers on multiple levels. For one, Perry had previously been a staunch critic of Trump's. Even at one point famously calling him "a cancer on conservatism." And for another, Perry had earlier said that he would abolish the Department of Energy if he were president of the United States.
A job that he could be making another play for soon.
Says his thinking about entering the Presidential race
The Hill and the Houston Chronicle report that Rick Perry is considering entering the 2024 Republican Presidential primary. It would be the third time Perry threw his hat in the ring for the U.S. Presidency. Following unsuccessful attempts during the 2012 and 2016 cycles. Just last month, Perry had said he would not be making another try for the office.
Several candidates have already launched bids for the nomination, with others possibly yet to enter. Among those already in is Perry's former boss, the highly controversial former President Trump. Also in the race is Nikki Haley, who served along with Perry in the Trump administration.
Haley left the administration at 2018's end. Perry departed in late 2019. Around the time of his exit, he was named in connection with the Ukraine scandal that resulted in Trump's first impeachment.
Perry was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1984 as a Democrat. He would be re-elected to the House twice.
In 1990, by then a Republican, Perry ran to become the agriculture commissioner of Texas. He would narrowly defeat Democratic incumbent Jim Hightower. He would be re-elected in a landslide in 1994.
In 1998, Perry was elected as the next lieutenant governor of Texas, prevailing over Democratic State Comptroller John Sharp. In 2000, Texas Governor George W.
Bush was elected as the next president of the United States. As a result, Perry was elevated to become the new Texas governor.
In 2002, he won a full term as governor by a wide margin. Four years, later he again emerged victorious, this time in a four-way race. Perry was again re-elected in 2010. He would not run for another term.
Was a pilot in the United States Air Force
Rick Perry is a native of Haskell in central Texas. His father, Joseph, was a Democratic local politician. As a child, the junior Perry accompanies his father at the funeral of Sam Rayburn. Rayburn had been the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives at the time of his death.
Perry would graduate from Texas A&M University with a degree in animal science.
Afterward, he entered the U.S. Air Force. Eventually, he was assigned as a C-130 pilot with the 772d Tactical Airlift Squadron. Perry's additional duties included being stationed in England and West Germany. He retired as a captain and began working on his family's cotton farm.
